Category: Today

Mehbooba blames Separatists for delay in peace restoration

Editor

Says they should have opened their doors to all-party delegation Squarely blaming separatists for the delay in restoration of peace and stopping of developmental works in Kashmir through summer months, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said closing of doors on the members of all-party parliamentary delegation sent wrong signals. Mehbooba said top leaders (MPs) of the country had come to “talk to them, but they did not open their doors (to the guests), a thing which has never happened.” This sent wrong signals to the outside world, she said. “They should…

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Snow brings cheer, breaks five month long dry spell

Editor

The five-month-long dry spell in Kashmir, the longest in four decades, ended today as high altitude areas, including Gulmarg, experienced snow while most of the plains were lashed by rains, providing the much-needed relief to people from the intense cold as mercury rose by several degrees due to cloud cover. The snowfall was received in several districts and tourist resorts of Kashmir and is likely to continue over the next several days. Officials at the Srinagar Meteorological Centre said snow was received in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts, Pahalgam…

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Opposition protests during national anthem, Governor walks out from assembly

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Opposition-generated chaos in Jammu and Kashmir assembly forced Governor NN Vohra to cut short his address and walk out of the house today even as the national anthem was playing. The budget session had started on a stormy note. When the Governor entered, the Opposition – including members of the National Conference, Congress, CPI(M) and other Kashmir-based Independent legislators — stood up carrying placards. When they disrupted the Governor for the third time, raising slogans and shouting, Mr Vohra cut short his address. The opposition members continued with the sloganeering…

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Jhelum waters go alarmingly low ‘Lowest in 60 Years’ due to dry spell across Kashmir

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The water level of the Jhelum river in the Kashmir valley has receded to an unprecedented and alarmingly low point as the region faces one of the severest dry spells in recent years. The river water level on Sunday morning touched a low of minus 0.55 foot at Sangam in south Kashmir, according to officials of the flood and irrigation department, Kashmir. The officials said it was the lowest measure of the river’s water level since the department began maintaining the record in 1955. “The water level has gone down…

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Shutdown, Protests over West Pakistan refugees, Resistance extends protest program till Jan 15

Editor

Protests were held at different places after Friday prayers in Kashmir, leading to clashes between protesters and the police while normal life was paralysed across the Valley today on the separatists’ bandh call against identity certificates to West Pakistan refugees (WPRs). Protests that sparked clashes between the protesters and the police took place after the congregational Friday prayers in the Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar, where the Jamia Masjid is located. Youths agitating against the grant of identity certificates to WPRs indulged in stone-throwing on the police and CRPF men…

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Political turmoil, Killings, Controversies mark Kashmir in 2016

Editor

The year began on a tragic note for the PDP and the coalition government as then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who had paved way for the first BJP government in the state in alliance with his party, lost battle for life at AIIMS on January 7 following brief illness. If political uncertainty and controversies over Sainik colonies and Pandit townships marked the first half of 2016 in J&K, the civilians killings and longest ever shutdown were the dominating discourses as the curtains fell on the year which saw PDP…

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Centre must talk to all stakeholders including hurriyat to resolve Kashmir Issue: Farooq Abdullah

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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today sought meaningful dialogue for ending political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir. “Alongside opening the channels of dialogue with Pakistan, the Centre must talk to all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat Conference,” Farooq said while addressing a public rally at Ragooda in the Nagrota Assembly constituency. He came down heavily on those criticising him for advocating dialogue with the Hurriyat Conference, asking why a finger was not being raised against the PDP-BJP combine. He blamed the coalition for bringing the state to unprecedented crisis and unleashing…

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Farooq Abdullah opposes Domicile Certificate for West Pak refugees

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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said the idea of issuing ‘domicile certificates’ to the West Pakistan refugees was unacceptable and that the party won’t be a mute spectator to such extra-constitutional misadventures that aim at circumventing the state’s special constitutional status and character. Speaking to reporters after an event here, Farooq said there was a clear effort to exploit the West Pakistan refugee issue to further a traditional agenda of weakening the state’s special status and eroding the state subject law. “These belated sympathisers of the West Pakistan refugees…

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Kashmir Shivers at -5.1, Water bodies frozen, Power Scenario worsens

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No respite from dry, cold weather conditions; Power scenario worsens, winter sports hit Temperatures plummeted further in Kashmir last night, resulting in freezing of the Dal Lake and other water bodies. Srinagar froze at minus 5.1 degree Celsius during the night while on Monday the maximum temperature was recorded 11.5 degree Celsius, said a Meteorological Department official. He said that light to moderate rainfall in plains and snowfall on higher reaches could occur on December 29 and December 30 at isolated places across the state. Leh in Ladakh region experienced…

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Will make up for the lost time due to unrest: Mehbooba Mufti

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Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today regretted that a number of youth were affected by the turmoil in the past five months during which not only the government but every section of society suffered and now people have started realising the quantum of loss. The Chief Minister said her resolve had been to get the people of the state out of the time of uncertainty so that the youth have a joyful, happy and smiling future. Mehbooba also regretted the loss of time during the current working season and said instructions…

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